Crimson Tears
by Aerith Queen of Cetra
Summary: R&R! Darkness has always been a part of Kai's life. Thanks to his friends he's able to suppress this darkness but now it wants to take over his life and make sure that even Kai doesn't get in the way...
1. Ties that Bind

I don't own Beyblade, just the plot to the story, so enjoy and try not to hate me too much afterwards!

_Note:_ Set between the end of Brooklyn and Kai's battle and before Takao and Brooklyn's battle.

**Crimson Tears**

Narrowed walls of dark grey encircled Kai as he stumbled down the hallways of the BEGA building, eyes glazed over and breathing laboured from his previous battle.

A sudden wave of dizziness overcame him as he fell back against the wall and slid down to his knees, his body shaking slightly.

Kai's glazed ruby orbs stared at the ceiling light, images of his friends passed by his eyes. Takao...Rei...Max...Kenny...Hilary, even Daichi.

He let a small smile grace his features as their images flashed by. "Yeah, it was all worth it, as long as I was able to help them."

His gaze was brought back down to the beyblade stationed in his hand, the shining sapphire blue metal with the gold and red Phoenix poised directly in the center.

Kai let the small metal top fall from his hand and roll to a stop on the floor. He whispered a goodbye to his faithful bit beast as long cracks enveloped every part of the beyblade.

A faint cry from Dranzer alerted him that she was gone, gone to a place of rest, though he faintly wondered if she was actually willing to stay or if she would return.

A low and almost inaudible groan escaped his mouth as his breath hitched in his throat. The blur of grey mixing with crimson was all he seen before his vision faded to white.

* * *

_Where am I...?_

_Is there anyone there...?_

_Am I...all alone again...?_

**...YES...**

The long drawn out hiss snapped Kai out of his dreamlike state. He frantically looked around hoping to find the person, eyes darting left to right quickly but there was nothing left to be seen in the black void he hovered in.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" he provoked clenching his fist before him for emphasis, though he found it hard to keep steady since he was so weak from his battle with Brooklyn.

**How soon we forget, can't you tell who I am? Or are you truely so moronic that you can't figure it out on your own?**

Kai growled as rage deep within him spiked to an all time high, by now his fists as clecnhed so hard that small ringlets of blood were falling into the black abyss around him.

"Only a coward lurks in the shadows, show yourself now!"

**Hypocrite...**

Kai quirked an eyebrow in confusion, "What?"

**You have the nerve to call me a coward after all the time you spent lurking in the darkness. You betrayed your friends for power and returned to them for revenge! Not exactly noble conduct I must say... But it doesn't matter now, I'll see to that fact myself...**

"What do you want from me?" Kai asked, eyes narrowing upon the dark nothingness before him

**I only want what I deserve, what you stole from me!**

"Stole?" Kai asked in disbelief and confusion. "What did I ever do to you! I don't even know who you are!"

**Oh, don't you?**

Loud footsteps echoed all around him. Kai struggled to keep himself calm but it was becoming increasingly difficult with the slow drawl of the footsteps. Sweat beaded down his forehead as he sttempted to stop his body from shaking.

The temperature seemed to turn icy cold as the footsteps got closer and closer. By now it had become so cold, Kai's breath could be seen floating before him but it soon hitched as a light erupted before him.

His company walked into the light and stared at Kai with hollow, sadistic crimson eyes.

"Well Kai, now do you see?"

Kai nodded hesitantly as he stared at the person before him. His company was dressed in baggy blue pants that hung loosely to his lower form but was held with a scarlet belt. A black tank top clung greedily to his lithe muscles acsented by the scarlet armguards with small metal blades on the top of them, to top it all off was a pure white scarf around his neck.

A small breeze drifted by, sending the long ends of the scarf floating back and ruffling his navy and slate hair gently.

Kai couldn't believe it, for him time had literally came to a standstill as he stared at the other version of himself with disbelieving ruby eyes.

"It..can't be...you're not me!" Kai whispered as he took a step back, shaking his head and telling himself that this wasn't real, that it was all just a dream, yes, just a dream.

"Oh but I am Kai. I am the darker part of you, I guess you could call me Yami. And this is no dream. You thought you could just seal me away when I wasn't good enough for you, when I was unnecessary? Well you can just think again. That day at the lake in Russia, do you remember?" the other Kai or "Yami" as he dubbed himself, questioned the original.

"The lake...when I fought my friends with Black Dranzer?"

"Yesss!" Yami hissed like a snake as he took a step towards Kai, who stumbled backwards in reflex.

"You opened up to me Kai, you let me be a part of your life but then your foolish friends came along and with them you sealed me away. I truely did drown that day Kai, in the lake. I sank to the bottom as the ice reformed and locked me away, but now I'm free thanks to you!" Yami spoke in glee as he continued to edge closer to Kai, who continued to back away.

"What do you mean, how could I have let you escape!" Kai shouted in anger though he continued to back away in fear.

"Your battle with that idiotic Brooklyn is what stirred me from my slumber. Your "Beyblade Spirit" as you do call it, woke me, but I was still trapped here. Your defences were too strong for me to escape but," Yami grinned sadistically as he continued, "When the battle ended and Dranzer left..."

"I had nothing left to protect me from freeing you," Kai finished with a whisper, his movements freezing in place.

"And now that I'm back, I want life again, one where you won't be able to stop me from fulfilling my desires," Yami chuckled darkly as he stopped his movements.

"And to do that, I need you out of the picture." Raising his hand in the air, he let a red light glitter in it for a moment before it exploded into thin ribbons and wrapped themselves around Kai, stringing him completely in place as a few strung off into the darkness like chains.

Panicing, Kai thrashed around violently but stopped soon after to scream in pain as the strings ripped into his already fragile body, lines of crimson appearing over those from the battle with Brooklyn. Even his face wasn't spared frm the torture as a piece of the ribbon cut dangerously close to his eye causing droplets of blood to fall from it, almost giving the impression of crimson tears.

Whimpering slightly, he tried to stop his body from shaking under the freezing air that surrounded his body and the pure fear that welled within him.

Yami smirked at the true Kai's expression, one of terror and pure fear that certainly was a rare treat. Walking up to the original he stared intently into terrified ruby orbs with his own sadistic crimson ones before staring at the bloody tears trailing down Kai's cheeks.

Leaning up slightly, Yami licked the ruby beads off of Kai's injured cheek, regarding the look of disgust on Kai's face through the corner of his eye. The dark one allowed the sweet coppery liquid to roll off his tongue and envelop his senses, moaning lightly at the delicious texture.

"Your blood tastes sweet Kai, care to try?" Yami taunted, watching as Kai turned up his nose ever so slightly in revoltion with an evil smirk.

"Are you sure? It is quite delicious, try some." With that the twisted teen carefully wiped a bead of Kai's blood on his finger and placed it in Kai's mouth, shutting Kai's mouth with his free hand to force feed the substance to the other.

Kai had to use all of his will power to refain from being sick as his own blood rolled down his throat, though he had swallowed a lot of his own blood that day, this was by far the worst because it was _him_ who was giving it to him, _him_ who was tainting it.

Yami shook his head as he pulled away from his original side, "You are amusing, aren't you Kai? I'd love to _play_ some more, but freedom awaits and it's time for you to say goodnight."

Yami raised his hand as it glowed the same crucial red as blood, watching as Kai screamed in pain with each and every ribbon digging tightly into his body like a hot knife through butter.

_TAKAO! REI! MAX! SOMEBODY! **ANYBODY! **PLEASE HELP ME! _His mind screamed in panic as the dark laughter of Yami echoed through the black and now crimson abyss.

No one could help him, no one would help him... he had betrayed their trust too many times and this was the price he had to pay, the price paid in blood.

"I'm sorry..."he whispered as a numb feeling took over his body, a deep feeling of regret flowing through his being. He regretted betraying his friends, regretted not telling them how much they meant to him, regretted not having lived the way he wanted, regretted not being loved by any of them...

A single crystalline tear rolled down his cheek, cleaning the blood underneath slightly, as if purifying it, but it was too late now, far too late.

A final tug ripped through his body by the ribbons but it was barely felt by the teen who was feeling another pain beyond compare.

Kai hung limply by the ribbons that supported him like chains, staring into nothingness forever more, the tortured soul who died not because of his wounds but because of his inner despair and regret.

Yami narrowed his eyes at the limp form, watching as Kai's blood formed a pool underneath his hanging body and around Yami's feet.

"It is done..." he whispered to the empty world around him before walking away and vanishing in the darkness, leaving the original Kai there for all eternity, the only light around him being the single glittering tear that floated in a red river...

* * *

A small jolt shook Kai's body as crimson eyes shot open to stare at a pure white ceiling. Blinking he stared to his side to see a number of machines decorating the white room. Bandages covered a large portion of his body and wires were attached to several places on his arms and chest. 

Grunting, he easily tugged the wires from his body and got out of the bed he lay in, stretching his aching body in the process.

His clothes lay in a folded pile in the corner chest of the room having been replaced by hospital robes. Walking over to them he picked up the ripped garments and flung them on his body along with a jacket that lay strewn across the chair, perhaps from a recent visitor.

He smirked at that, _Who would want to visit this loser... _his mind questioned rhetorically as he slid the jacket onto his lithe form.

His thoughts were interrupted though by the high and dramatic voice come from the televison set in the corner.

_**"Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls to the final match of the Justice 5 tournament! Were the world champion, Takao, will face the final member of the BEGA team..." **_

"Takao..." He smirked, "Takao, get ready to meet the new Kai." Yami smirked as he left the hospital grounds, leaving his past behind him as he closed the doors...


	2. Shades of a Soul

_Title:_ Crimson Tears

_Author:_ Aerith Queen of Cetra

_Chapters:_ 2/6?

_Summary:_ Darkness has always been a part of Kai's life. Thanks to his friends he's able to suppress this darkness but now it wants to take over his life and make sure that even Kai doesn't get in the way...

_Genre:_ Horror/ Angst

_Pairings_: None (Does anyone want a pairing? If you do it'll be KaixTakao/KaixTyson)

_Beta'd_: Nope (help!)

_Warnings:_ Blood, Death, Psychotic theories (by Yami), an unoriginal name for the bad guy (shrugs)

**_Disclaimer_:** See chapter 1 ¬.¬

_**Review Thanks To: **Tomtwins13, Bloody Crimson Tears, LynnieTHM, Eclipsed Light(;.;Thanks so much for that), Astera Snape, wolf 1 1,somebody very evil (O.O Nice review there…), Death Fox, RetaroO and lolita _

**_Author's Comments_:** I dunno why but I wanted to leave this story as a one-shot to show what happened after Kai collapsed after his match with Brooklyn (I thought he actually died for a while o.o' ) but since you want me to continue, I shall! But it won't be a really long story, just a couple of chapters!

And for all of you who got confused, Takao is Tyson's Japanese name )

But since there is too much confusion over it, I'll just use the English names…. but Ray shall still be known as Rei, it kills me to spell him the English way! XP

* * *

**Chapter 2: Shades of a Soul  
**

* * *

_Multorum te etiam oculi et aures non sentientem, sicuti adhuc fecerunt, speculabuntur atque custodient._

_Without your knowledge, the eyes and ears of many will see and watch you, as they have done already.)_

--Marcus Tullius Cicero

* * *

Air. So warm and caring at times, harsh and unforgiving other times. Today though, it seemed too foreign and strange, confused even, to register to anyone but it barely registered in this youth's mind. 

A single blood red eye glared at the world around, but more importantly at its two enemies that battled light heartedly down on the ground below his post.

Brooklyn and Tyson… hard to believe they caused this much damage with such careless thoughts, but perhaps he'd been away from the living world too long, perhaps this was the new order of things. His influence upon his host was only slight in the years he had been contained so he couldn't be sure.

Turning around with a swift and dangerous slash of his ebony coat, he turned the other direction towards the destroyed BEGA building, a violet haired man lay weeping at the ruined doors much to his amusement.

Hearing footsteps before him, the man turned his fallen gaze up to watch the stranger before him; sickly small, grey eyes glinted with hope.

Boris Balkov latched his arms onto "Kai's" shoulders and shook them apprehensively. "KAI! My boy! So good of you to come back to me! I was so sad when that awful Brooklyn forced you to leave! But now, with you, I can rebuild the BEGA Empire!"

Raising an eyebrow, the teen shrugged the hands from his shoulders. "And why should I help _you_?"

The acidic words split from "Kai's" easily, more so than before as his eyes flared like the flames from the lowest pits of hell. Boris blinked and backed away with a disturbed cry, rushing into the unsteady ruins of BEGA and away from the dark youth that haunted him so.

A deadly smirk crossed the youth's face as he followed the rushing man, calmly and at his own pace.

Staring to his left and right within the ruins with his glowing eye he followed the concrete laden path with glee, gently padding up the stairs in quiet anticipation.

The third floor staircase was blocked off with rubble and all that remained of the second floor was the single staircase that led to it and a few rooms that hadn't collapsed upon themselves.

His steps suddenly became louder against the concrete, the cheering from outside finally muting. All that remained were the footsteps…and contained breaths…

"Kai" passed the first room, a training room with a broken dish. There was no one there. He passed the second room, a file room with tossed shelves. There was no one there. He passed the third room, a small bedroom with a smashed wooden bed frame… There was someone there…

The once lethal and dangerous leader, Boris Balkov, was now backed against the corner, hiding behind a slanted bookcase.

The old man gulped shakily as the footsteps echoed eerily by him, they stopped for a moment and he immediately snapped his hand over his mouth, making a dull thud.

A black laugh echoed from around each corner of the destroyed room causing him to shudder uncontrollably.

**What's the matter Boris? Afraid? Why should you be…?_ You_ created me… what reasons have you to be frightened? Because I'm too powerful? Because I can rise up and take away everything you've earned? Or maybe….**

"It's because I can take away your very life…" The voice suddenly whispered in his ear and he leapt back against the wall again as an insane wolfish grin ensnared his senses.

Placing his bandaged palm upon Boris' chest, a firm scarlet light erupted from it as the hand sank into the light. "Kai's" entire body glowed thankfully as Boris felt his body weaken.

Pulling his hand back and flexing it perfectly, he pulled off the bandage on his eye and the elder, with a horrific look on his tired face, watched as a dull slash that reached from the side of the teen's face and through his eye, suddenly stitched back up with stomach churning squelches.

The eye beneath opened as a fallen and lost grey, but with a blink it turned to the matching psychotic red of its brother. Twisting uncomfortably, the ache from his back, arms and legs suddenly disappeared as the scars patched up and the bones healed.

"Ah…. much better…. thanks for the pick me up."

A foot suddenly snapped down upon the elder's outstretched arm and a dull crack snapped through the walls, a cry soon followed.

Boris held the limp arm in his other hand and gasped in horror at the twisted limb, "What the hell do you think you're doing! Are you insane!"

"Kai" lifted his head back in gentle thought, before grinning again and nodding vigorously. "That's what you've always taught me, 'sir'. It's better to be the insane victor…"

He brought his hand forward, grabbing the mass of violet hair and wrenching it and Boris' head to one side, "…than the worthless loser..."

Yami dropped the body to the floor and watched in sick satisfaction as the gargling of liquid resounded in Boris' throat, blood slowly seeping out from his open mouth.

His newest victory was cut short though when a sudden flash erupted within Yami's mind and he turned his gaze to the floor in rarely felt astonishment.

"You…. brought it… here?" The surprise soon left, filled now with rich laughter, reflecting both joy…and insanity.

Closing his eyes, he concentrated his dark energies to the ground beneath him and quickly a small orb of black light rose from the ground and hovered before Yami's face.

The dark one snatched the light with tremendous speed and stared at the chip that now lay comfortably in his hand, a chip that he hadn't laid eyes on since his "death".

"Hello old friend…remember me?" A small pulsation in his mind confirmed that answer.

"I can't believe he brought you here, I thought you were lost to me…I guess this fool had one other purpose after all."

Placing the dark bit beast, Black Dranzer within his coat pocket he turned and look at Boris with great distaste.

Flicking back a lock of navy hair from his face, Yami swirled around and stalked away, a single thought in his mind. _That death was too peaceful, I'll have to try extra hard for the others…_

_

* * *

_

"YEAH! HERE'S TO TYSON! WORLD CHAMP FOR ANOTHER YEAR!"

"HERE HERE!"

The entire room cheered and raised their glasses in celebration as Tyson blushed and laughed furiously, scratching the back of his head in joy.

"More like World Chump for another year, eh Tyson?" The sly Rick slipped in taking a sip of his drink.

"Yeah! …Hey wait a minute…RICK!" Max and Rei had to hold the furious champion back as he lunged for Rick who still sat calmly, cross legged and sipping his drink.

The entire group laughed at the site. They had reason for being able to smile over the slightest thing after the back breaking training they all had to do to help the four combatants (1) to succeed in their five match tournament. And because of the great respect that had been exchanged between each warrior in the tournament, four of the five members of BEGA's team also joined them in the celebration. (2)

Jokes and sweet laughter echoed through the air as everyone crowded Tyson, bar from Hilary who was yelling at Ming-Ming in one corner and Brooklyn who was content to sit at the table and watch with an amused expression.

Tyson, though delighted with all of the attention, found himself looking around with an almost sad glint in his chestnut eyes as he noticed someone missing.

Managing to excuse himself by saying he needed to go to the bathroom, Tyson carefully opened the back door and closed it silently behind him before leaning against the rafters and sliding to the wooden ground.

His eyes glared wistfully at the stars that twinkled gleefully within its dark playground of the sky.

"Kai…where are you?" He whispered to the wind, feeling it twist strangely around him, almost in confusion, it didn't know either…

Sighing he closed his eyes. Even if Kai refused to acknowledge the team's worth at times, he would always turn up on occasions such as these, even if it was to just stand in the corner in silence, barely regarding the world around.

To Tyson though, that was somewhat a…comfort to him. Kai almost was like a guardian angel to him, a dark winged one but none-the-less a guardian angel. He would never admit this sense of security to Kai though, it seemed silly, like a child's fairytale but he liked it. It made him believe in a happily ever after.

But where was Kai now?

"Kai…have you left us once again?"

"Not exactly…"

The voice startled him enough to force him to roll over and off of the porch. When he looked up, his irritated chestnut eyes met amused scarlet ones and he immediately shot up to his feet.

"Kai! There you are! I didn't think you were coming!" Tyson yelled in glee as he tackled him and gave him a hug, effectively knocking them both to the ground. (A/N: HE GLOMPED HIM! HURRAH! XD )

Raising an eyebrow, "Kai" coughed in annoyance which Tyson quickly caught as leapt back up on his feet, pulling the older teen up with him.

"I'm glad you made it!" Tyson smiled, grabbing the others gloved hand and pulling him inside. "Come on! Everyone was really worried about you!"  
_  
Worried about Kai? Why should they waste such efforts on that fool? But they have a right to I guess… _Giving a dark chuckle, which Tyson, in his joy, mistook for a somewhat giggle, he followed the navy haired teen into his home before his dark expression quickly fell into the solemn façade that was, Kai.

"GUYS! KAI FINALLY MADE IT!" Came the excited shout from Tyson Granger as he dragged a seemingly reluctant and irritated Kai Hiwatari into the middle of the halted festivities.

The entire group turned to the new arrival with startled faces, including Brooklyn. "Kai" just gave a disgusted grunt at the attention and stalked off to the corner, sliding down the wall slightly and crossing his arms over his chest as he glared at the floor through closed eyelids.

Relief swept through the crowd as to them it seemed he was back to normal but two males both stared at him in confusion.

Brooklyn narrowed his eyes at the teen that stood n the corner. There was something in his aura that seemed off to him. It was his aura. Kai's usual aura radiated as a calm blue, something that contained a sense of sadness, pain, and longing but this aura was a deep red, swirling with contempt, anger and darkness.

He turned away in wonder and suspicion, pushing these thoughts to the back of his mind but the second male didn't turn his gaze away from "Kai".

He looked at the floor startled. Kai was back now. He wasn't going to leave again. But… where was the comfort he always felt from Kai's presence?

* * *

(1) Four because Kai wasn't with the team training if you don't recall. 

(2) Crusher isn't there obviously because he would run straight to his sister's side after her operation.

* * *

O.O Full chapter there….. Boris is killed…. Black Dranzer is back…Brooklyn loses the match against Tyson…. Kai returns to the Bladebreakers…Two people are suspicious already… My head hurts o.o' 

Well, I'll be updating more often now that I've finally came back to this story but I've two questions to ask now,

**1) Does anyone want a pairing? If you do it'll be TysonxKai.**

**2) Guess who goes bye bye next XD  
**  
So please review now! And remember! Reviews motivate the authoress to update quicker!


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